Roll forming apparatus having rolls with radially and axially yieldable forming members



"r. w. ABERNATHY ET AL 3,535,903 ROLL FORMING APPARATUS HAVING ROLLS WITH RADIALLY AND AXIALLY YIELDABLE FORMING MEMBERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l ra. 1.

l a m er M Oct. 27, 1970 Filed June 7, 1968 INVENTORS 77104445 F. LINDSAY 5r THE/E A77'0RA/EY5 HARRIS, K/ECH, P055544 & KERN 77-!0MA5 WILL IAM AeERA/Am Oct. 27, 1970 w, ABERNATHY ETAL 3,535,903

ROLL FORMING APPARATUS HAVING ROLLS WITH RADIALLY AND AXIALLY Y-IELDABLE FORMING MEMBERS Filed June 7, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3. v 52 40 FIG.4. 76 70.

INVENTORS F 5 Fro/ms n lLLlAM ABERNATH);

' 7204445 F LINDSAY BY 7/15? ATTORNEYS HA ee/s, Mac/1, RussELL & KERN United States Patent O M 3,535,903 ROLL FORMING APPARATUS HAVING ROLLS WITH RADIALLY AND AXIALLY YIELDABLE FORMING MEMBERS Thomas William Abernathy, Sunland, and Thomas F. Lindsay, Sepulveda, Calif., assignors to Tronchemics Research, Inc. of California, Sun Valley, Calif a corporation of California Filed June 7, 1968, Ser. No. 735,415 Int. Cl. B2111 5/08 US. Cl. 72-181 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An apparatus for roll forming stock of different thicknesses and/or of longitudinally varying thickness, comprising a series of pairs of forming rolls provided with cooperating annular forming members. One roll of each of the first several pairs in the series includes a forming member which is resiliently yieldable in the radial direction so as to compensate for thickness variations or differences which are predominantly radial. Both rolls of intermediate pairs in the series have forming members which are resiliently yieldable radially and which are so shaped that they accommodate axial components of thickness variations or differences, as well as radial components thereof, as they yield radially. One roll of the final pair or pairs in the series has, in addition, forming members which are resiliently yieldable axially to accommo date thickness differences or variations having components which are primarily axial. Thus, both rolls of the final pair or pairs have forming members which are resilently yieldable radially, while at least one roll of such pair or pairs also has forming members which are resiliently yieldable in the axial direction. With this construction, the apparatus can roll form such compound sections as hat sections, or the like, from stock of different thicknesses and/or of longitudinally varying thickness Without adjusting or changing the rolls.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION The present invention relates in general to a roll forming apparatus comprising a series of pairs of rolls which progressively impart the desired cross section to the stock, such as sheet or strip stock, passing between the rolls of the successive pairs.

(Generally prior apparatuses for roll forming metal stock are not capable of handling stock of different thicknesses without first adjusting the spacing of the rolls of each pair, or substituting different rolls. Also, prior apparatuses have not been able to roll form metal stock of longitudinally varying thickness, whether the longitudinal variation be uniform or nonuniform.

SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF INVENTION The primary object of the invention is to provide a progressive roll forming apparatus of the foregoing general nature which is capable of roll forming metal sheet or strip stock of different thicknesses and/or of longitudinally varying thickness into compound sections without adjusting the roll spacings, or changing rolls.

Compound sections are regarded herein as sections having walls which make substantial angles, such as right angles, with each other. Examples are hat sections, Z- sections, channels, angles (either acute or obtuse), and the like. Normally, such compound sections cannot be roll formed from stock of different thicknesses and/or longitudinally varying thickness without adjusting the roll spacings and/ or changing the rolls.

Considering the invention more specifically, an im- 3,535,903 Patented Oct. 27, 1970 portant object is to provide a progressive roll forming apparatus wherein the various pairs of rolls have cooperating annular forming members certain of which are resiliently yieldable radially from concentric positions and/ or resiliently yieldable axially from normal positions to accommodate both radial and axial components of thickness differences in the stock and/or a longitudinal thickness variation in the stock.

More particularly, another important object is to provide a roll forming apparatus which includes at least one pair of forming rolls having cooperating annual forming members some of which are resiliently yieldable from concentric positions in directions perpendicular to the axes of rotation of the rolls as the stock passes between the rolls, and some of which are resiliently yieldable from normal positions in directions parallel to the axes of rotation of the rolls as the stock passes between the rolls, some of the resiliently yieldable forming members being yieldable both in directions perpendicular to and parallel to the axes of rotation of the rolls. With this construction, both axial and radial components of stock thickness differences or variations can be accommodated, which is an important feature of the invention.

Still more specifically, an object of the invention is to provide a progressive roll forming apparatus which includes: a pair of forming rolls having cooperating annular forming members; one of the forming members of one of the rolls being movable radially of the axis of rotation of the one roll from a concentric position; resilient means biasing the radially movable forming member of the one roll radially toward its concentric positon, the other of the rolls having on opposite sides of the radially movable forming member of the one roll movable forming members which are movable both radially from concentric positions and axially from normal positions relative to the axis of rotation of the other roll; resilient means biasing the movable forming members of the other roll radially toward their concentric positions; and resilient means for biasing the movable forming members of the other roll axially toward their normal positions.

The foregoing objects, advantages, features and results of the present invention, together with various other objects, advantages, features and results thereof which will be evident to those skilled in the progressive roll forming art in the light of this disclosure, may be achieved with the exemplary embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in detail hereinafter.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT OF INVENTION FIG. 1 of the drawings illustrates semi-diagrammatically a progressive roll forming apparatus 10 which embodies the invention and which is shown as including ten pairs of progressive rolls for forming flat metal strip stock 12 into a hat section 14, the movement of the stock being from left to right, as viewed in FIG. 1. It will be understood that the roll forming apparatus 10 of the invention may be designed to handle sheet stock, instead of the strip stock 12, and that it may be designed to roll form compound sections other than the hat section 14. Also, the number of pairs of rolls is not critical, i.e., there can be anywhere from one pair to thirty or forty, or more.

The rolls of the various pairs are mounted on and may be keyed to, or otherwise nonrotatably secured to, shafts which are driven in synchronism, as by being geared together, or otherwise interconnected. The rolls can be driven at equal or unequal speeds, depending on the particular forming operation. Also, in some instances, only one roll of a pair may be driven, the other rotating on its shaft. Structures of this nature are conventional in the progressive roll forming art and, accordingly, will not be disclosed specifically herein.

As previously indicated, the progressive roll forming apparatus selected to illustrate the present invention includes ten pairs of progressive forming rolls, it being understood that this number is not critical and can be varied, depending on the extent of forming of the stock 12 which is required. Many of the pairs of rolls incorporated in the apparatus 19 are similar to other pairs so that it will not be necessary to illustrate and describe all of the pairs specifically. Instead, only three of the pairs of rolls, viz, the first, the sixth and the tenth pairs, will be illustrated and described. The first pair of rolls is illustrated in FIG. 2 and is representative of the first through the fifth pairs. The sixth pair is shown fragmentarily in FIG. 3 of the drawings and is illustrative of the seventh pair also. The last or tenth pair is shown fragmentarily in FIG. 4 of the drawings and is reasonably representative of the eighth and ninth pairs also.

The first five pairs of rolls accommodate stock thickness differences or longitudinal variations having components which are predominantly radial, the forming having progressed insufficiently through the fifth pair of rolls for stock thickness differences or longitudinal variations to have significant axial components. However, the sixth and seventh pairs of rolls are capable of accommodating significant axial components of stock thickness differences or longitudinal variations, as well as radial components thereof. The eighth through tenth pairs of rolls are capable of accommodating major axial components of stock thickness differences or longitudinal variations, as well as radial components thereof, such major axial components being due to the fact that the hat section 14 has walls the thicknesses of which are both radial and axial as it approaches and arrives at its final configuration. It will be understood, however, that the rolls of all pairs may be capable of handling radial and axial components of thickness differences or variations.

Referring now to FIG. 2 of the drawings, illustrated therein are forming rolls 20 and 22 respectively nonrotatably secured to shafts 24 and 26 and respectively including annular forming members 28 and 30 for beginning the progressive forming of the strip stock 12. It will be noted that, in this first pair of rolls 20 and 22, the stock 12 is still relatively fiat. Consequently, if strips of different thicknesses and/or of longitudinally varying thicknesses are passed between the rolls 20 and 22, the thickness differences and or variations have only radial components, with no significant axial components.

To accommodate the predominantly radial components of stock thickness differences and/or variations in the first pair of rolls 20 and 22, the annular forming member 28 of the roll 20 is mounted on a hub 32 in such a manner that the forming member 28 is resiliently yieldable in the radial direction from a concentric position. This permits the rolls 20 and 22 to accommodate strips of different thicknesses and/or strips varying lengthwise thereof in thickness.

The desired resilient yieldability of the forming member 28 from a concentric position is achieved by interposing a resilient means 34 between the forming member 28 and its hub 32. The resilient means 34 is shown as a sleeve of elastomeric material, such as polyurethane, synthetic rubber, Teflon, nylon, or the like. However, any suitable resilient material or device may be used for the resilient means 34. For example, the resilient means 34 may comprise radially oriented compression coil springs somewhat similar to the axially oriented compression coil springs shown in FIG. 4 and hereinafter described. Springs of other types may be used for the resilient means 34 also. Thus, there is no intention of limiting the invention to any particular construction for the resilient means 34.

By the time the strip 12 being progressively roll formed reaches the sixth pair of rolls 40 and 42 of FIG. 3 of the drawings, differences in thickness from strip to strip and/ or thickness variations lengthwise of the strip begin to have significant axial components, in addition to radial components. Note that, in FIG. 3, the strip 12 has walls 44 and 46, which will ultimately be walls 48 and 50, respectively, of the final hat section 14, which make substantial angles with the axes of shafts 52 and 54 nonrotatably carrying the respective rolls 40 and 42.

To accommodate the axial and radial components of stock thickness differences and/ or variations encountered as the strip 12 passes between the rolls 40 and 42, these rolls are composite rolls each including rigid and radially resiliently yieldable annular forming members. More particularly, the roll 40 includes adjacent its ends rigid annular forming members 56 and the roll 42 includes intermediate its ends a rigid annular forming member 58, these being nonrotatably secured to their respective shafts 52 and 54. The roll 40 includes intermediate the forming members 56 a radially resiliently yieldable annular forming member 60, opposite the forming member 58 of the roll 42. The forming member 60 is biased toward a concentric position, relative to the axis of the shaft 52, by a resilient means 62 having any of the constructions hereinbefore discussed in connection with the resilient means 34. The roll 42 includes, on opposite sides of the forming member 58, radially resiliently yieldable annular forming members 64 which are biased toward concentric positions, relative to the axis of the shaft 54, by resilient means 66 of the nature hereinbefore described.

It will be noted that the rigid forming member 58 cooperates with the radially resiliently yieldable forming member 60, and that the radially resiliently yieldable forming members 64 cooperate with the radially resiliently yieldable forming member 60 and respectively cooperate with the rigid forming members 56.

The foregoing construction for the rolls 40 and 42, by permitting the forming members 60 and 64 to yield radially of their respective rolls in a resilient manner, accommodates strips 12 of different thicknesses and/or strips 12 having thicknesses varying lengthwise thereof. More particularly, as the forming members 60 and 64 yield radially from their concentric positions in response to an increased thickness of material therebetween, they separate axially, as well as radially, to accommodate an increased thickness in the angled walls 44 and 46 of the partially formed strip 12. It will be noted that the axial separations of the various forming members in the regions of the walls 44 and 46 of the partially formed strip 12 are due to the fact that the surfaces of the various forming members in these areas make angles less than right angles with the axes of the rolls 40 and 42.

Referring now to FIG. 4 of the drawings, by the time the strip 12 passes between rolls 70 and 72 of the last pair in the series, the walls 44 and 46 of the strip have become the walls 48 and 50 of the final hat section 14. Consequently, thickness differences and/ or variations can no longer be accommodated by simple resiliently radially yieldable movement of some of the annular forming members of the rolls. In the last pairs of rolls in the series, and particularly in the final pair of rolls 70 and 72, different thicknesses and/or thickness variations are accommodated, in accordance with the invention, by introducing resiliently axially yieldable annular forming members. These, which will be described in more detail hereinafter, accommodate the axial components of the thickness differences and/or thickness variations, while resiliently radially yieldable annular forming members accommoate the radial components. As will become apparent, some of the annular forming members are both radially resiliently yieldable and axially resiliently yieldable to achieve the desired effect.

Considering the pair of rolls 70 and 72 in more detail now, the roll 70 is similar to the roll 40 and includes two axially spaced, rigid annular forming members 74 nonrotatably connected to a shaft 76 on which the roll 70 is mounted. Between the forming members 74 is a radially resiliently yieldable annular forming member 78 biased toward a concentric position, relative to the axis of the shaft 76, by a resilient means 80 of any suitable construction.

The roll 72 includes a central rigid annular forming member 82 opposite the radially resiliently yieldable forming member 78. The forming member 82 constitutes a central portion of a hub 84 suitably nonrotatably se cured to a shaft 86 on which the roll 72 is mounted. The ends of the hub 84 carry radially yieldable resilient means 88 which, in turn, carry rings 90* on opposite sides of the rigid forming member 82.

Axially slidable on the rings 90 are axially resiliently yieldable annular forming members 92, these forming members being axially biased toward normal positions, adjacent the rigid forming member 82, by resilient means 94. Each of these resilient means comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced, axially oriented, compression coil springs in the particular construction illustrated. However, other axially yieldable, resilient structures may be utilized, such as elastomeric annuli comparable to the elastomeric annulus 34, but oriented in radial planes.

Axially slidable on hub portions of the forming members 92 are axially resiliently yieldable forming members 96 which cooperate with the forming members 92, and with corresponding portions of the forming members 74, to form the walls 48 and 50 of the hat section 14, and the perpendicular walls between the walls 48 and 50. The forming members 96 are rendered axially resiliently yieldable by resilient means 98 which bias these forming members toward normal positions wherein they are spaced from the forming members 92. Again, the resilient means 98 are shown as comprising arrays of circumferentially spaced, axially oriented, compression coil springs, although other axially yieldable resilient structures may be used.

As will be apparent, the radially resiliently yieldable forming member 78 can yield radially relative to the forming member 82 to accommodate an increased thickness in the portion of the hat section 14 connecting the walls 48 thereof. Similarly, the forming members 92 and 96 can yield radially relative to the forming members 74 to accommodate an increased thickness in the portions of the hat section 14 which interconnect the walls 48 and 50 thereof. The forming members 92 can yield axially away from the forming member 78, to accommodate an increased thickness of the walls 48 of the hat section. Similarly, the forming members 96 can yield axially, toward the forming member 78 and away from corresponding portions of the forming members 74, to accommodate increased thicknesses in the walls 50' of the hat section 14. Thus, the structures shown for the rolls 70 and 72 cooperate to accommodate both radial and axial components of thickness differences and/or variations in the strip 12 of which the hat section 14 is formed.

Thus, it will be apparent that the invention achieves, with the foregoing structure, its primary object of providing a progressive roll forming apparatus which is capable of forming sheet strip stock of different thicknesses and/ or of longitudinally varying thickness into compound sections without adjusting the roll spacings, or changing rolls.

Although an exemplary embodiment of the invention has been disclosed herein for purposes of illustration, it will be understood that various changes, modifications and substitutions may be incorporated in such embodiment without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the claims appearing hereinafter.

The invention claimed is:

1. In an apparatus for roll forming stock of difierent thicknesses and/or of longitudinally varying thickness, the combination of:

(a) a pair of forming rolls having cooperating annular forming members some of which are movable in directions perpendicular to the axes of rotation of said rolls from concentric positions as the stock passes between said rolls, and some of which are movable in directions parallel to the axes of rotation of said rolls from normal positions as the stock passes between said rolls;

(b) resilient means biasing toward their concentric positions those of said forming members which are movable in directions perpendicular to the axes of rotation of said rolls; and

(c) resilient means biasing toward their normal positions those of said forming members which are movable in directions parallel to the axes of rotation of said rolls.

2. A roll forming apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein some of said movable forming members are movable both in directions perpendicular to and parallel to the axes of rotation of said rolls.

3. In an apparatus for roll forming stock of different thicknesses and/or of longitudinally varying thickness, the combination of:

(a) a pair of forming rolls having cooperating annular forming members;

(b) one of said forming members of one of said rolls being movable radially of the axis of rotation of said one roll from a concentric position;

(c) resilient means biasing said radially movable forming member of said one roll radially toward its concentric position;

(d) the other of said rolls having on opposite sides of said radially movable forming member of said one roll movable forming members which are movable both radially from concentric positions and axially from normal positions relative to the axis of rotation of said other roll;

(e) resilient means biasing said movable forming members of said other roll radially toward their concentric positions; and

(f) resilient means for biasng said movable forming members of said other roll axially toward their normal positions.

4. A roll forming apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said other roll includes two of said radially and axially movable forming members on each side of said radially movable forming member of said one roll.

5. A roll forming apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said resilient means for biasing said movable form ng members of said other roll toward their normal pOSltlOIlS includes means for biasing two of said movable forming members of said other roll, on opposite sides of said radially movable forming member of said one roll, axially toward said radially movable forming member of said one roll, and includes means for biasing the other two of said movable forming members of said other roll axially away from said radially movable forming member of said one roll.

6. In an apparatus for roll forming stock of different thicknesses and/or of longitudinally varying thickness, the combination of:

(a) a series of pairs of forming rolls wherein said rolls of each of said pairs are provided with cooperating annular forming members;

(b) at least one of said rolls of each of said pairs including a forming member which is movable radially of said one roll from a concentric position;

(c) resilient means for biasing said radially movable forming member of said one roll of each of said pairs toward its concentric position;

(d) the other of said rolls of at least one of said pairs including forming members located on opposite sides of said radially movable forming member of said one roll of said one pair, and movable radially from concentric positions and axially from normal positions; and

(e) resilient means for biasing said movable forming members of said other roll of said one pair toward their respective concentric positions, and for biasing them toward their respective normal positions.

7. In an apparatus for roll forming stock of different thicknesses and/or of longitudinally varying thickness, the combination of:

(a) a series of pairs of forming rolls;

(b) said rolls of each of ,said pairs being provided with cooperating annular forming members;

(c) one of said rolls of the first pair in said series including a forming member which is movable radially of such roll from a concentric position;

(d) resilient means for biasing said radially movable forming member of said one roll of said first pair toward its concentric position;

(e) one of said rolls of an intermediate pair in said series having between its ends a forming member radially movable from a concentric position, and the other of said rolls of said intermediate pair having adjacent its ends forming members movable radially from concentric positions;

(f) resilient means for biasing said radially movable forming members of said rolls of said intermediate pair toward their respective concentric positions;

(g) one of said rolls of the last pair in said series including intermediate its ends a forming member radially movable from a concentric position, and the other of said rolls of said last pair including adjacent its ends forming members movable radially from concentric postions and axially from normal positions; and

(h) resilient means for biasing said radially movable forming members of said rolls of said last pair toward their respective concentric positions, and for biasing said axially movable forming members of said other roll of said last pair toward their respective normal position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,150,707 9/1964 Howell 72179 X 3,371,513 3/1968 Aehler et a1. 72166 MILTON S. MEI-IR, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 29-132 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,535,903 Dated October 27, 1970 lnv nt r( Thomas William Abernathy et al.

It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In the heading to the printed specification, lines 6 to 8, "assignors to Tronchemics Research, Inc. of California,

Sun Valley, Cal if., a corporation of California" should read 1-, assignors, by mesne assignments, to Tronchemics Research Incorporated, South Hackensack, N. J., a corporation of Minneso ta mt 5415.0 @66 I971;

(SEAL) wu-Fletchenlr "mm": mm E. *SG'HUYMR, 31 officer Oomiasioner of Patents C01. 1, lines 33 34, "resilently" should read resiliently Col. 2, line 31, "positon" should read position Last line, "pair to thirty" should read pair up to QT Col. 3, line 17, "apparatus 19" should read -e apparatus 10 Col. 5, line 67, "sheet strip" should read H sheet or strip References cited, "Aehler et al" should read Achler et a1 FORM PO-1 uscoMM-oc some-ps9 i U.5 GOVIINIIENT PRINTING OFFICE lI-I 0J|-3!4 

